Baby Must Haves: Sleepytime

As I look back on my first year in the mommyhood I realized that I have a slew of products I adore and some I loathe.  So consider this a total bombardment of unsolicited advice! 

 

Welcome to my Baby Must Haves: Sleepytime edition!

 

Oeuf Sparrow Crib – We adore this crib.  It assembled insanely easily, looks great and changes levels in minutes.  Look hard and you can totally find a deal like we did.  Floor model sale!

Bedding – You only need a fitted sheet so buy three and make sure they are soft.  Otherwise, pick the cutest things you can find.  I love the ones at Land of Nod.

Trend Lab Crib Rail Covers – If your tiny human decides that the crib is a tasty snack, protect your adorable baby furniture with these super soft fleece protectors. 

Waterproof Mattress pad - You can buy them almost anywhere, but I suggest having 2-3 so you don’t have to stress if one is in the wash and you are changing the bed . . . again.

Chico First Dream Crib Mobile - My son hated his room, or crib, or both. It's likely my fault. I resisted a mobile because it didn't really work with the decor and I didn't know if he'd really love it. Insert. All of a sudden my two month old son that would scream bloody murder when laid down loves his crib. You can actually lay him down awake and tired and this entertains then lulls him to sleep. Best part of all, the mobile has a sound detector that is perfectly sensitive. Coos are nothing but when he starts crying this kicks on and buys me a few more seconds to rub my eyes open and grab a bottle. It's even been known to get him back to sleep unaided! Very minor complaints, the projector started jerking a little but a light slap and it was back to normal for now. Oh, and it runs on batteries. In my book, the adjustment to sub-par wine for our new battery budget is easily accepted. This mobile bridged the "plastic, shiny, toys with lights and sounds" and "mommy really likes clean, mid-century/modern lines" line.

Summer Infant Baby Touch Digital Color Video Monitor – Yes, you can hear a baby from the room next door but you sure can’t see what they are doing.  Even SuperMom needs a visual clue.  Think of the monitor as a sleep training tool.  It’s a useful tool, not over-parenting.

Aden and Anais Swaddle Blankets – Super soft and adorable patterns.  We didn’t have a lot of luck with blanket swaddling, but they are perfect for throwing over the carseat in the early days and as a light summer blanket for a toddler.

Halo Sleep Sacks – Swaddling is not easy and it’s less awesome when you have baby Hulk.  We loved the Halo brand sleep sacks with the ability to include or exclude their arms.  Strong Velcro and a variety of fleece or light cotton, depending on the season and need.  Also, these are very easy to change in and out of a few times a night.

Cloud B Sound Machine Soother  - We got the monkey version as a gift and are still using it for naptimes/bedtime today.  It travels easily and plays a variety of sounds and music.  Not a must but a nice to have for sure.